Bio / presentation

WUK (Werkstätten- und Kulturhaus) is one of Europe’s largest and oldest independent cultural centres, housed in a former 19th-century locomotive factory in Vienna. Founded in 1981 by artists and activists, WUK merges culture, art, social work, and education. It hosts over 130 autonomous groups and associations that run workshops, concert halls, performance venues, galleries, studios, and educational initiatives. Its organizational model is based on self-management, horizontal participation, and cooperative structures. WUK offers more than 250 cultural events annually, including music, theatre, dance, visual arts, discussions, and film. With its interdisciplinary and community-based approach, WUK is a European model for cultural sustainability, social inclusion, and collective creativity. Its uniqueness lies in its diversity, institutional independence, and role as a living space for artistic experimentation and social transformation.